marriage

Columns, Community, Marriage, Mosque, Relationships

Secret marriages, spiritual abuse, and our Scholars: An introduction to “Not all Marriages are Equal”

Note: This piece is an introduction to Dr. Mohammad Fadel’s scholarly article on Islamic marriage, temporary marriage, secret marriage and polygamous marriage.   Sometimes even holy men have their wicked schemes. Over the past few months, my colleagues and I have learned from multiple sources about a set of Muslim celebrity-scholars…

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Columns, Relationships

Ask M: Should I back out of his proposal?

Dear M, I am a 30-years-old independent Muslim woman who is somewhat conservative. Three years ago my marriage of 14 months ended in an acrimonious divorce, and since then I have focused on my work. I recently received a proposal from a 48- year-old divorcee, who happens to be my…

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Children, Family, Parenthood

Choosing a childfree present

This piece is a follow up to the essay, “Accidentally Childfree”.
“Do you want to be in your marriage?” She asked me, matter-of-factly.
For months I wrestled with this question, always too afraid to broach it during daylight hours. But here we were, in her bright little office, and her words flooded the room.
On that day, I did not have an answer for her.

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altMommy

Who are YOU?

“Who are YOU?” asked the Caterpillar of Alice. It is a question that creeps into the minds of married women and mothers everywhere. “Who am I?” Like Alice, we struggle to find an answer. We swell and contract into so many sizes—both literally and figuratively—to meet the needs of our…

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Culture, Fashion, Politics, Race

The politics of Black hair and hijab

For Mother’s Day last year, my husband surprised me with a spa treatment at a Muslim-owned beauty salon.  Long overdue for self-care, I gladly accepted the gift of the works done under the care of an Afro Brazilian Muslim woman. When we arrived at the shop, my daughter ran into…

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